Hamilton is still the home town of Wales' coach Warren Gatland and it will be his team's base, too, for two matches that are likely to be crucial in their pool. Wales will be playing Fiji and Samoa at Waikato Stadium, and may need all the local support it can muster. Both Pacific teams will have a big following and Wales will probably have to beat both to join the pool's likely winner, South Africa. Hamilton rolled out a red carpet for the Welsh when they were in the city for last year's All Black test. This time Fraser Tech and other clubs such as Hamilton Old Boys and Hamilton Marist are lining up to welcome Wales' travelling supporters for the World Cup, and the RSA has offered its facilities.

Two private schools, St Paul's Collegiate and St Peter's School, will be training venues for the teams. The city's Hood St bar precinct is talking about closing the street and laying down artificial grass with goalposts to become Hamilton's "party central" for the tournament. Hamilton can expect big numbers at all its matches. The All Blacks play their second game at Waikato Stadium, against Japan, before Wales and the Pacific teams arrive. Hamilton has had one of the highest turnouts for volunteer registration in the country. The last weekend of November, 254 came through the doors of the city's reception lounge of potential volunteers. One man had driven from Whitianga to volunteer.

What architecture type is it ?

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FBI Says 94% of Terrorist Attacks in the US Since 1980 Are by Non-Muslims

Dunedin's new roofed stadium was a standout crowdpleaser when international rugby VIPs visited the facility for a progress report today. The men, International Rugby Board (IRB) chairman Bernard Lapasset , IRB member Bill Beaumont and New Zealand Rugby World Cup chief executive Martin Snedden, were at the Forsyth Barr Stadium ahead of the first Dunedin Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2011 game on September 14. Snedden said over the past year he had raved to the IRB bosses about the stadium and was thrilled they could now see it with their own eyes. Progress was pleasing, he said.

"I was here only been six weeks ago and the movement since then is fantastic. It's going exactly in the right direction. "I'm really looking forward to the experience of seeing the games here.'' Snedden expected the new facility to this month become the RWC official tournament venue, replacing Carisbrook. Lapasset believed playing at the Forsyth Barr Stadium would be a big event for Dunedin pool teams. The facility was an important and unique venue for the cup. He praised the ground's covered facilities, location, and lighting. He was impressed with the newly-sewn pitch and the never-before-used turf technology.

"It's very, very exciting,'' he said. He gave the Dunedin facility a high ranking among the New Zealand RWC venues which, he said, all exhibited a high level of quality commitment to the tournament. "I am more and more convinced New Zealand is the true home of the Rugby World Cup. But this [the Forsyth Barr Stadium] will be a unique place in the Rugby World Cup,'' he said.

Rugby fans from around the world will find out on Monday whether they have secured tickets to the semi-finals and final of the Rugby World Cup in the third phase of the ticket balloting system. The ballots were open to those fans who applied for tickets during the first two phases of RWC 2011 ticketing and who elected to enter into the ballots. Applicants received one entry into each ballot they elected to enter into for each ticket they applied for. There are 15,000 match tickets available in each of the three ballots. Because each offer will consist of an opportunity to purchase two tickets, a total of around 7,500 offers will be issued for each match.

Applications were received from just over 60,000 fans. "I know many fans will be nervously awaiting the results of the ballots as these tickets have been highly sought after," Martin Snedden, chief executive of Tournament Organiser Rugby New Zealand 2011, said. "These tickets are scarce so for those who are successful this is a great opportunity to be ringside at the crunch matches of New Zealand's biggest ever sports event." Successful fans will receive an email from organisers on Monday with details on how to get their tickets. Fans have until 5pm Friday March 4 to secure their tickets.

At times like these, our thoughts should be with the good people of New Zealand as Christchurch battles back from another devastating Earthquake.
But it is only natural for us stadium nerds to also hope that the sporting infrastructure can still accommodate the RWC.. chin up kiwis, big brother Oz/USA/GBR will do all we can to help

Obviously it's very early days and is far far down on the list on what the Country is worried about. But would be a great morale booster for the city later this year if the rugby games can still go ahead and bring normality back to this great city. Not to mention help with the towns tourism which will likely take a bit of a hit.

Five World Cup games and two quarterfinals scheduled for Christchurch are in jeopardy after yesterday's big quake.

The seven matches are due to be played at AMI Stadium in September and early October, but officials may have to reallocate them because of the damage to hotels, restaurants, roads and other infrastructure throughout the Christchurch area.

The Wallabies and their Christchurch-born coach, Robbie Deans, are due to be based in the city where they will play pool games against Italy and Russia.

England and Argentina are both scheduled to play two games at the stadium.

Christchurch is also due to host two quarterfinals on the weekend of October 8, with the All Blacks set to play on the Sunday if they finish top of their pool against Tonga, Japan, Canada and France.

Cup organisers said yesterday that it was too soon to consider the implications for the tournament.

"It is way too early to be thinking about what this means for the World Cup," said Mike Jaspers, communications manager for the event.

"We are just thinking about friends, relatives and all the people who have been affected by this."

Hospitality Association of New Zealand chief executive Bruce Robertson said it was far too early for speculation less than 24 hours after the quake struck. "It is not even on anyone's horizon yet."

The New Zealand Rugby Union had difficulty contacting officials at the Canterbury Rugby Union or Crusaders staff and said they had no reports of any problems with the city's rugby stadium.

The rejuvenated AMI stadium opened in January last year. It was playing host to the US-NZ 2011 Partnership Forum when the quake struck. All delegates were reported safe.

A US group of 43 government, business and community leaders was attending the forum, which began on Monday and was due to end last night.

A Rugby World Cup fan zone has been planned for Cathedral Square.

* A transtasman netball league match between the Canterbury Tactix and Northern Mystics that was scheduled to be played at Christchurch on Sunday has been postponed.

League organisers and Netball New Zealand will now work through arrangements to reschedule the game for a later date.

Quake causes major damage to AMI Stadium
It's understood the Crusaders will have to find a new home for the remainder of the Super Rugby season.

Liquefaction, after yesterday's devastating earthquake, has caused major damage to the playing surface with bubbles of up to half a metre high surfacing all over the AMI Stadium playing field.

It could take at least five and a half months before it's capable of hosting a game of rugby.

The Crusaders are due to host seven Super rugby matches at AMI Stadium this season, including a match next Friday night against the Waratahs.

Sydney's Daily Telegraph has reported that Sydney Football Stadium has been offered to host the Waratah's clash if AMI Stadium is deemed unsafe.

Prime Minster John Key is hopeful that the city of Christchurch can recover in time to host its part of the Rugby World in September and October.

"If we can host the Rugby World Cup as we intend to in Christchurch I would like to do that, Key said at a press conference in Wellington this morning.

"It's some way into the future (but) it's a very important city to New Zealand.

"It would be a demonstration Christchurch is back up on its feet."

Christchurch is down to host five pool matches and two-quarters, including the All Blacks' expected last-eight showdown against the runner-up of pool B on October 9, but Key concedes there will be some major challengers in the coming months.

"One of the issues might be accommodation; there has been substantial damage to hotels."

"Again that is something the Rugby World Cup minster (Murray McCully) will be looking at."

Tournament organisers had contingency plans but would not speculate about the effect the quake would have on the World Cup, Rugby NZ 2011 communications manager Mike Jaspers said.

"Right at this moment it is too early to talk about any implications for the tournament. Right now all that has got to take a back seat while Christchurch deals with the aftermath of this tragedy.

"Our thoughts are very much with the people of the region. Any assessment must wait while rescue and recovery efforts take priority."

His sentiments were echoed by the International Rugby Board in a statement saying its "thoughts and deepest sympathies" were with the people of Christchurch, adding that it was "inappropriate to comment on the status of the World Cup infrastructure or operations".

"The focus at this point must be on the emergency response," the IRB said.

There were no reports of earthquake damage to AMI Stadium, the ground due to host seven matches during the World Cup from September 9-October 23, including two quarterfinals.

A New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) spokesperson told The Dominion Post that it was too early to know if Saturday's Super 15 match between the Canterbury-based Crusaders and the Hurricanes in Wellington would proceed.

The South African Rugby Union (SARU) wrote to the NZRU to express its condolences and offer solidarity with New Zealanders and their rugby community following the earthquake.

"Our rugby community feels a special bond to New Zealand and what has happened in Christchurch has been deeply felt here," said Oregan Hoskins, president of SARU.